5 . How to Become a Scientist

Here is some advice for students who think they might like to become scientists.

Become an observer. One of the most important things you can do to become a good scientist is to practice watching everything carefully. Find a comfortable chair and put it in the middle of your garden or a park. Sit in the chair for thirty minutes or an hour. Watch the insects that fly past or land on the plants. Look at the shapes of leaves and branches. Listen to the sounds of insects.     1     Use a microscope to look closely at interesting objects.

Learn everything you can about a topic that interests you. Suppose you’d like to explore flowers by using a microscope. Go to the library and check out some flower books. See what you can find on the Internet. Pick some flowers and carefully take them apart.     2     The more you know about flowers from reading about them and observing them, the more you’ll understand when you look at them with a microscope.

Ask for help from a knowledgeable person. After you’ve learned everything you can on your own, ask someone else to help with questions you still have. Maybe there’s someone at a nearby school or museum who knows about insects, spiders, or something else you’d like to learn about.     3    

Find a scientist to talk to or find a place where scientific research is being done. If you still want to learn more, you can find a scientist to talk to at a nearby university, or research station.     4     Explain what you’re interested in. Ask if you can schedule a time to visit. Most scientists are happy to talk to students who share their passion for science.